CA18DET Conversion

The key to fitting a CA18 into a Bluey is the use of a Series 3 Bluebird engine
crossmember, where a CA20 once sat. First you need to rip out the old L20b (or
CA20) and gearbox, using a Gregory's manual as a guide. If you are starting with a
Series 3, you can re-use the original gearbox when you fit the CA18. We will come to
the pro's and cons of this later. It is much easier to get the old motor and 'box out as
one if you park the rear wheels up on ramps before you start. If you have an s1 or s2,
pull out the old crossmember, put in the series 3 item, no hassles what so ever apart
from having a struggle with the steering shaft spline on the rack, fitting it back into
the steering column.

It is much easier to work in a neat, tidy and clean engine bay, not to mention it looks a
lot better. So get to work cleaning up the engine bay, and covering the wiring in that
plastic loom stuff.

Now, we come to the decision to run the S13 CA18 gearbox or the stock Series 3
CA20 'box. If you use the original CA20 box, you will not need to modify the trans
tunnel, as the shifter will still be in the same position, and you can retain your original
tailshaft. Note however, the CA20 'box is weaker than the CA18 item, and so to do
the job properly you really should use the CA18 gearbox. A good figure to look at is
around 150rwkw, beyond this you should be using the CA18 'box.

If you intend to use the stronger CA18 'box, you need to take to the trans tunnel with
the grinder, extending the gearstick hole back to the brace across the trans tunnel, so it
is in a bullet shape. You need to make a new cover for the hole from aluminium plate,
with a hole cut close to one end to fit around the shifter. Wait till the gearbox is in
before doing the cover.

You can retain the original fuel lines, and use little brass adaptors from Pirtek to
connect the smaller fuel hoses to the VL pump and to the SR's fuel rail. Take out the
fuel tank to hook up the surge tank's overflow line, and so you can get to the fuel old
fuel filler neck, which for legal reasons must be removed and replaced with an
unleaded type filler. Use a cut down Mitsubishi Magna unleaded filler, this also
requires a little enlarging of the hole in the Bluey body with a file. The Magna filler
uses the same 3 screw mounting as the Bluey, although you have to redrill one of the
mounting holes.

Before you put the motor in, sort out your heater hoses so they match the inlet and
outlet on the CA18. Doing it this way means you won't have to stuff around with it
later, when you won't be able to get your hand back there. Mount the heater switch
valve on the firewall seam, and using copper plumbing bends to route the hoses.

You should keep the CA18 engine mounts and braces(to stop vibrations and things
becoming loose) on the engine and use the CA20 bluebird rubber mounts. Drill a new
hole in left hand engine mount to relieve stress on all four rubber mounts (2 engine
and 2 g/box). (See diagram)
Click to view image
If you are using the CA18 gearbox, in order to mount it use the original L20b or
CA20 gearbox mount, the holes have to be filed a little bit forward as the CA18
gearbox sits further back. For the gearbox sensors, use some simple bullet connectors
for the reverse switch, and put the CA18 speedo sender cog onto the old L20b or
CA20 mechanical sender unit, it works just fine. To do this you have to grind the old
sender shaft flat on one side, so it is shaped like a 'D'. Not using the electronic speedo
sender will upset the CA18 ECU a little, possibly introducing a speed cut, and can
also affect the car's idle. The easiest way out of this is to have the ECU re-mapped, as
they are a 'chippable' ECU.

If you used the CA18 gearbox, you have to get a new tailshaft fabricated to suit.

The Series 3 Bluebird radiator will be fine as the inlet/outlet pipes are in the right
position and the CA20 hoses can be used. Have the radiator professionally cleaned
($100 - $200) and remove the engine fan and fit 2 smallish or 1 large thermo fan.

For the accelerator cable, cut some of the plastic sheath from around the original
cable, then push the threaded end section back on.

To get the tacho working with the stock CA18 ECU, take the tacho feed line from the
ECU, and wire it directly to the original Bluebird tacho input. To get it to read
correctly, it is necessary to splice another wire into the tacho feed, this extra wire is a
constant +12v feed with a 10 kohm resistor in it, this effectively "pulls up" the low
voltage of the ECU tacho-out up to the higher voltage that the Bluey tacho needs to
work.

Mount the ECU on the kick-panel up beside the glovebox, it is barely visible from the
cabin & out of harm's way.
CA18det ecu connections
Things you should also do / Need to know

* The CA18 temp sensor/sender isn't matched to the Bluebird S3 temp gauge and the
temp will read much higher than it is. One way to fix this is to get a sender made with
CA20 internals in a CA18 package. The dodgy way to fix the problem (as I did) is to
wire in series a variable resistor which can be adjusted to lower the gauge position. To
set the gauge let the car heat up to a normal operating temp (85-90 deg C) check this
with thermometer and then adjust the gauge accordingly.

WARNING: The down side is that if the car overheats you will never get full scale
deflection of the gauge as the inline resistance will only go down to what you have set
on the pot... but the gauge will still get pretty high!

* You should also fit an adjustable fuel regulator if you fit a high volume fuel pump
(i.e. Bosch VL turbo pump), as the standard pressure regulator doesn't work too well
with the higher pressure and your engine will run extremely rich and use lots of fuel.

charlie990:
THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!
have been looking for this for months since 910bluebirdforum went down!

charlie990:
one question, do you think a s13 crossmember will work in the place of a series 3
item? as they are far easier to come by over here and the crossmember's fit ca18det's.
thanks

SEB20DET:
not sure mate see if you can borrow one

charlie990:
hey guys,

if i follow this guideline is there any reason why an engineer would not cert the
vehicle?

thanks,
Charlie

SEB20DET:
youust use r31 brakes up the front. you cant have a serg tank in the boot and you must
run a catalitic convertor then you should be right

jonnybluebird:
what country are you in charlie? you can use a s13 xmember without to much
trouble. there was a guy who did it on 910. i cant find his webpage. this also gives
you the option of using the s13 power steering. its not a direct bolt in job you just
need to modify a few holes here and there to get the crossmember to fit. if i find this
guys page who did it ill post it up here for you.

leeroy_pat_12:
with the loom to go into the kick panel where do all you blokes make your hole for
the loom to go through

SEB20DET:
Quote from: leeroy_pat_12 on October 14, 2008, 04:16:53 AM

with the loom to go into the kick panel where do all you blokes make your hole for
the loom to go through

i like to use the standard air conditioning hole for the loom

leeroy_pat_12:
ok no probs just make the hole bigger then sounds good.